Banana Ball will return to NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse in 2026.
But the Savannah Bananas won’t be coming.
Two other Banana Ball teams ― the “Firefighters” and the “Texas Tailgaters” ― will bring the flashy, fun brand of baseball to Central New York instead.
The teams will play on Sept. 11 and 12.
The Bananas announced the 2026 Banana Ball schedule on Thursday night in a show broadcast on ESPN2. In typical, over-the-top fashion, the show featured music, comedy ― the announcement of a stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania was made via a rap video ― and a stadium filled with boisterous fans.
More than 10,000 fans came to NBT Bank Stadium to see the Savannah Bananas face the Party Animals in September of 2023. The event was a quick sellout.
Even without the Bananas, the return of Banana Ball is likely to be a tough ticket. The Bananas hold a lottery to distribute tickets through their website. The deadline to join the lottery is Oct. 31.
The Bananas began in 2016, and over the last several years have become one of the hottest tickets around the country, selling out stadiums in major cities with games featuring trick plays, choreographed dances and a general party atmosphere.
Thursday night’s schedule announcement show included the addition of two new teams: The Loco Beach Coconuts and the Indianapolis Clowns.
The Clowns are named after the legendary Negro League team, and the announcement was made by Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.
The six teams will all be part of the new Banana Ball Championship League, leading to the first “Banana Bowl Championship” in October 2026.
